start stop button MERCEDES-BENZ CL55AMG 2003 C215 Owner's Manual

26 At a glanceCenter consoleLower part
Item
Page
1
KEYLESS-GO* start / stop
button
33, 43
2
Selector lever for
automatic transmission
43,
145
3
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
indicator lamp
65
4
Thumbwheel for setting
distance in Distronic*
187
5
Distance warning func-
tion* on / off switch
187
6
Program mode selector for
automatic transmission
147

33 Getting started
Unlocking
1KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
Before you press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button, the vehicle’s on-board
electronics have status 0 (as with key re-
moved).Make sure the gear selector lever is set
toP.
Do not depress the brake pedal.
Position 1

Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton once.
This supplies power to some electrical
consumers, such as seat adjustment.Ignition (or position 2)

Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton twice in immediate succession.
This supplies power to all electrical
consumers. All the lights in the instru-
ment cluster light up.
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 83).
For information on starting the engine us-
ing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button,
see “Starting with KEYLESS-GO*”
(
page 43).
iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button twice, the power
supply is switched off.
iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button once, the power sup-
ply is again switched off.

35 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat adjustment
The seat adjustment switches are located
in each door.
1Head restraint height
2Seat height
3Seat cushion tilt
4Seat cushion depth
5Seat fore and aft adjustment
6Seat backrest tilt

Turn the key in the starter switch to
position1or2.
or

Press the KEYLESS GO* start/stop
button once or twice.
or

Open the driver’s or passenger door.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.

37 Getting started
Adjusting
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 97).
Steering wheel Steering wheel adjustment
The stalk for steering wheel adjustment is
located on the steering column (lower left).
1Steering column, lengthen or shorten
2Steering column, height

Turn the key in the starter switch to
position1or2.
or

Press the KEYLESS GO* start/stop
button once or twice.
or

Open the driver’s or passenger door.
iThe front passenger seat head restraint
automatically lowers after a few sec-
onds when the front passenger seat is
not occupied.This improves the driver's
outward view as well as the forward
view from the rear passenger compart-
ment.
When the front passenger seat is occu-
pied again, the front passenger head
restraint returns to the last set position
within a few seconds.
If the front passenger seat was moved
fore or aft while not being occupied,
the front passenger seat head restraint
returns to a position that corresponds
best with the seat's axial position when
the seat is occupied again.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driv-
ing. Adjusting the steering wheel while driv-
ing could cause the driver to lose control of
the vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch, and take the
KEYLESS-GO
* card with you.
The steering wheel adjustment feature can
also be operated with the driver’s door
open. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

43 Getting started
Driving
Automatic transmissionGearshift pattern for automatic
transmissionPPark position with selector lever lock
RReverse gear
NNeutral
DDrive position
Make sure that the gear selector lever
is set toP.Starting with the SmartKey

Turn the key in the starter switch to
position3 and hold until the engine
starts (
page 31).

Firmly depress the brake pedal.
The selector lever lock is released.
For information on turning off the engine
with the SmartKey, see “Turning off engine
with the SmartKey” (
page 51).
Starting with KEYLESS-GO*
You can start your vehicle without a key
using the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
on the gear selector lever.1KEYLESS-GO start/stop button

Firmly depress the brake pedal during
the starting procedure. Do not depress
accelerator.
The selector lever lock is released.

Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button1 once.
The engine starts automatically.
For information on turning off the engine
with KEYLESS-GO, see “Turning off engine
with KEYLESS-GO” (
page 51).
iYou can also use the “touch-start”
function. Turn the key to position3 and
release it again immediately. The en-
gine then starts automatically.

49 Getting started
Parking and locking
Parking and locking
You have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows:Warning!
G
Wait until the vehicle is stationary before re-
moving the key from the starter switch. The
vehicle cannot be steered when the key is
removed.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake or steer the ve-
hicle.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of inadvertent vehicle movement, be-
fore turning off the engine and leaving the
vehicle always:

Keep right foot firmly on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Move the selector lever to positionP.


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.


Turn the key to starter switch position0
and remove, or press start / stop button
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*).


Take the key or the KEYLESS-GO* card
and lock vehicle when leaving.

51 Getting started
Parking and locking
Turning off engine 
Place the gear selector lever in
positionP.
Turning off engine with the SmartKey

Turn the key in the starter switch
(page 31) to position0 and remove
it.
The immobilizer is activated.

Press the seat belt release button
(page 41).

After exiting the vehicle press the lock
button
‹
on the SmartKey
(
page 30).
The locking knobs on the doors move
down. The turn signal indicators light
up briefly.More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 80).
Turning off engine with KEYLESS-GO*

Place the gear selector lever inP.

Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton until the engine shuts off.
With the driver's door closed, the start-
er switch is now in position1. With the
driver’s door opened, the starter switch
is set to position0, same as key re-
moved from starter switch. The immo-
bilizer is activated (
page 31).
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to position P.
On steep slopes, turn the front wheels
towards the curb.iThe SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in positionP.
!With the SmartKey removed and the
driver’s door open, a warning sounds if
the vehicle’s exterior lamps are not
switched off.Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, make sure that there
is no possibility of someone getting caught
in a door during closing.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch and lock your ve-
hicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.


54 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Occupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are:

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device


Airbags


Child seats


Child seat recognition


Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH)
As independent systems their protective
effects work in conjunction with each oth-
er.The
1
indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up


for about four seconds when you turn
the key in the starter switch to
position1 or press the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button once. It then goes
out briefly, lights up again and remains
lit until you start the engine.


for about four seconds when you start
the engine by turning the key or press-
ing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop but-
ton.The restraint systems are fully operational
if the
1
indicator lamp is not lit when
the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been de-
tected, if the 1
indicator lamp:


fails to go out after approximately four
seconds.


does not come on at all.


comes on after the engine was started
or while driving.
For safety reasons, we strongly recom-
mend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to
have the system checked.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 266).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 63).
iThe
1
indicator lamp lights up and
remains lit if the key is turned to posi-
tion 2 and left there or the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button is
pressed twice. The indicator lamp will
go out when you start the engine.

60 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyThe front passenger side impact airbag 2
will only deploy if the system senses that
the front passenger seat is occupied.
The window curtain airbags fill up the area
between the A and C pillars (see arrows).
1Window curtain airbag
2Front side impact airbags
3Rear side impact airbags
Seat belts
The seat belt nonusage warning lamp
<

in the instrument cluster lights up and a
warning sounds for a short time when you
turn the key in the starter switch to
position2 or press the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button twice and the drivers
seat belt is not fastened.
After starting the engine, the seat belt non-
usage warning lamp blinks for a brief peri-
od to remind the driver and passengers to
fasten the seat belts.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in
most states, the District of Columbia and
all Canadian provinces. Even where this is
not the case, all vehicle occupants should
have their seat belts fastened at all times
when driving or riding in the vehicle.
Information on fastening seat belts is
found in the “Getting started” section
(
page 40).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 63).

66 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetySpecial BabySmart
TM compatible child
seats, designed for use with the
Mercedes-Benz system and available at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center are
required for use with the BabySmart
TM air-
bag deactivation system. With the special
child seat properly installed, the passenger
front airbag will not deploy.
The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp1 located in the center console will
be illuminated, except with the key re-
moved or in the starter switch position0.
Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special
child seat installed
After turning the key in the starter switch
to position1 or2 or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once or
twice, the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indi-cator lamp1 located in the center console
lights up for approx. 6 seconds and then
goes out.
If the indicator lamp should not come on or
is continuously lit, the system is not func-
tioning. You must see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center before seating any
child on the passenger seat.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 269).
iThe system does not deactivate the
side impact airbag and the emergency
tensioning device.
Warning!
G
The BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation sys-
tem will ONLY work with a special child seat
designed to operate with it. It will not work
with child seats which are not BabySmart
TM
compatible.
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the deactivation sys-
tem. The bottom of the child seat must
make full contact with the passenger seat
cushion. An incorrectly mounted child seat
cushion. An incorrectly mounted child seat
could cause injuries to the child in case of an
accident, instead of protecting the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of special child seats.Warning!
G
When using a BabySmart
TM compatible
child seat on the front passenger seat, the
passenger front airbag will not deploy only if
the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
remains illuminated.
Please be sure to check the indicator every
time you use the special system child seat.
Should the light go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation. If the
light remains out, do not use the
BabySmart
TM restraint to transport children
on the front passenger seat until the system
has been repaired.